Portable fire-escape.



Nu. 65I,995. Patented lune l9, I900.

'J. A. HUYT.

PORTABLE FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed Dec. 16, 1899.)

(No Model.)

FIEJ

W NESSES nonms PETERS co, Pno'rwrna. WASH UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. HOYT, OF S OOTIA, NEW YORK.

PORTABLE FI RE-ESCAPE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651,995, dated June 19, 1900. Application filed December 16,1899. Serial No.740,6l2. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES A. HOYT, a citi-v zen of the United States, residing at Scotia, in the county of Schenectady and State of New York, (with post-office address Schenectady, New York,) have invented a new and useful Portable Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a portable fire-escape in which a fiat cable is used. Said invention is designed for the use of travelers, hotel-keepers, and manufacturers as ameans of escape from burning buildings.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of the invention with cover removed, exposing the jaws, cable, lever, and bolts. Fig. 2 represents the same side view with cover on. Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows the case A, which is made hollow, with one side open and with an opening at each end in order to allow the fiat cable 0 to pass through the case Aand over the rigid jaw B, the latter being made with and forming one edge of the case A. On the opposite edge of the case A is also an opening through which the cam ended lever E is inserted. Jaw B is a separate or loose block made from any suitable material, and after being perfectly fitted to conform to the face of the rigid jaw B, which is corrugated crosswise of its faee, the.jaw B is dropped or placed in the hollow space between the Hat cable 0 and the cam-ended lever E. The cable 0 has a hook H or ring attached to its loose end for convenience of attachment to window or harness.

A suitable cover is placed over the open side of the case A and secured by means of bolts 0. aand pivot-bolt a, all of which bolts pass through the case A. The pivot-bolt a, also passes through the lever E, slightly to one side of the center. The cam end of lever E bears against the edge of jaw B opposite the cable 0 and jaw B; It will thus readily be seen that by a slight downward pressure on the outer end of the lever E the cam end of said lever E will be forced against the loose jaw B, the opposite side of jaw B will be forced against the cable 0, and the opposite side of cable 0 will be forced against the rigid jaw B, thus producing a pressure and friction upon the cable 0. By a slight pressure on the outer end of lever E the descent of a weight attached to the cable 0 or eye D can be easily controlled, the device be ing suitably suspended.

The eye D, made with the case A, is a convenient means of attaching any suitable harness or other attachment to the brake or device, substantially as specified and described. Attached to the case A may be arranged any suitable reel and frame F, in which cable 0 may be wound for the convenience of transportation and economy of space.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r A portable friction fire-escape, comprising the hollow case A, having the eye D, the pivoted lever E the pivot-bolt a, the loose, ad-

justable corrugated jaw B, the rigid corru gated jaw B, the flat cable 0, and the reel for the cable connected directly to the casing, all combined as set forth.

JAMES A. HOYT. Witnesses:

WM. W. WEMrLE, A. T. G. WEMPLE. 

